A Star Reborn: The Queen's Return

Wei Lingnan staggered out of the Lis’ home and almost lost his balance. He held onto a wall for support and took a while to catch his breath before color returned to his cheeks. He had looked cold and cruel back in their home, but in fact, he had spent days and nights using all his energy to induce the growth of the Skatana flower and had reached his limit. But he knew how painful and torturous the abnormal symptoms could be, and wanted to do everything it took to shorten her suffering, even if by just a second. The teleportation used up almost every last bit of energy he had. In front of the Lis, the cold demeanor he put up had masked his vulnerability, but now that there was no one around, he couldn’t keep up his act.

He had teleported in such a rush that he hadn’t arranged for transportation back to the base.

Wei Lingnan tried to catch his breath as he reached his arm out to flag for a cab, but not a single one stopped for him. This man looked so weak, he seemed like he might pass out anytime, and no driver wanted that sort of trouble.

Until a silver luxury car stopped before him quietly.

The back door opened, and on the leather seat was Gu Jinxiu in a light blue cheongsam and a shawl. She looked at him and said, “Nan, come on in.”

Wei Lingnan reached his leg out and got into the car.

It was clean and cozy on the inside. Gu Jinxiu very thoughtfully draped a blanket on him. “It’s winter, why did you come out in such little clothing? Look how cold you are.” Her voice was sweet and gentle and packed with feelings.

Wei Lingnan’s eyes did not meet her gaze. He was still pale and beads of sweat were forming on his forehead.

Gu Jinxiu did not ask where he went, and simply told the chauffeur to set off.

The chauffeur was the Gu family’s helper, and asked as he started the car, “Miss, where are you heading?”

“Home,” Gu Jinxiu said to the chauffeur and then turned to Wei Lingnan. “You’re unwell. Have a rest at my home for now.”

But Wei Lingnan declined. “Head to the basement.” He was weak, but his voice was still cold and firm, leaving no room for negotiation.

The conflicting instructions made the chauffeur a little distressed. He looked at his Miss in the rearview mirror, awaiting further comment.

Gu Jinxiu was very compliant, “We’ll go to the base, then.”

The car headed towards the base.

It was a good distance into the journey and the car was quiet when Gu Jinxiu spoke again. “Nan, I haven’t seen you in a few days and I have no idea where you’ve been. Do you know this worries me?”

“No need to worry,” Wei Lingnan said.

His coldness made Gu Jinxiu feel a little hurt as she bit her lip. Although she had already told Wei Lingnan her identity in the past life, it seemed like they didn’t get any much closer with each other. There seemed to be a barrier between them, and she felt as if she simply couldn’t find a way to know the real Wei Lingnan better.

Wei Lingnan sensed her unhappiness and mellowed down. “I’m sorry, I was just tired.”

His change in attitude made Gu Jinxiu feel better. She smiled., “It’s alright. Sleep in the car, then. Rest well.”

Wei Lingnan nodded and closed his eyes. The moment his eyes were shut, images of the Skatana Planet and the little princess came back again. Each time he came back from a mission, she’d run up to him in joyful tears, telling him how much she’d worried for him. Back then, she’d been so naive and simple, so beautiful, so different from the scheming and cautious person she was today.

His Ah Luo was back, but the little princess in her was gone. Wei Lingnan couldn’t help but feel a sense of loss.

“Nan, what exactly were you doing out?” Gu Jinxiu couldn’t suppress her curiosity. She’d had a bad omen from the day that mysterious man came to look for Wei Lingnan; she felt that it had to be something to do with Xia Yingluo. These few days, Wei Lingnan had kept himself out of sight, and his subordinate had told her that his instructions were to keep everyone away, including her. She was bursting with doubts, and a sense of crisis rose inside her.

She went to so much effort to snatch Wei Lingnan away from Xia Yingluo, there was no way she’d let him return to her. Gu Jinxiu was a scheming woman, and while she couldn’t contact Wei Lingnan directly, her suspicion about Xia Yingluo’s involvement in this was spot-on. She’d sent her chauffeur to patrol around the Li household for three whole days, and Wei Lingnan finally appeared.

Gu Jinxiu had to find out what he was there for.

As they reached the base, Gu Jinxiu followed Wei Lingnan down underground.

Wei Lingnan went with her to the house that he’d built especially for Ah Luo, and planned to leave right away. “Have a good rest, I still have something to attend to. I’ll be back later.”

Gu Jinxiu grabbed his arm. “I already told you that I’m worried for you, but you won’t even tell me where you’ve gone and what you’ve been doing?”

Wei Lingnan lowered his head and glanced at her hand. “Ah Luo, why do you ask what you already know?”

Gu Jinxiu was upset and even a little angry. “So you really went to look for Xia Yingluo behind my back. Wei Lingnan, since you’re already with me, why do you do things that hurt me?”

Wei Lingnan was already fatigued and worn out. Upon hearing Gu Jinxiu’s questions, Wei Lingnan couldn’t mask his frustration. “When I sent the drug to Yingluo the previous time, did you send someone to stop it from reaching her? If not for that drug, I wouldn’t have had to see her personally.”

He called her Yingluo, not Xia Yingluo.

The mildly affectionate name pricked her ear, but she forced herself to bear with it. She was a scheming woman who knew very well that pressing him with further questions would only upset him more.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Wei Lingnan looked at her. “Ah Luo, I’m tired. I don’t wish to hear your lies.”

Without waiting for her answer, he took his leave.

He was simply too exhausted and couldn’t hold out any longer. He felt like he would pass out anytime if he continued standing before Gu Jinxiu.

He walked into a secret laboratory and shut himself in a nurturing vessel. It was filled with recovery solution and he rested in it with his eyes closed.

Meanwhile, Gu Jinxiu felt apprehensive and uncertain all of a sudden.

She’d thought that once she recalled all her memories as Ah Luo, she’d be showered in Wei Lingnan’s abundant love for her like back in the days millions of years ago. But it seemed like this man hadn’t completely forgotten Xia Yingluo or let her go, and this gave her a sense of crisis. No, this wouldn’t do. She had to find a way around this.